Inquiry over privatisation of Samoa's public broadcaster, a waste of public money says outgoing CEO

The outgoing CEO of Samoa's Broadcasting Corporation, Galumalemana Fai'esea Matafeo, has dismissed a call for a commission of inquiry into the privatisation of the public television and an FM radio station.

The SDU party leader, Asiata Saleimoa Va'ai, alleges there was a conflict of interest involving the government and the successful bidder, Quality Broadcasting Limited or QBL.

He says the issue is the outgoing CEO is the major shareholder of QBL.

But Galumalemana told SBC TV last night said the inquiry would be a waste of tax payer's money because the privatisation process was dealt in a very transparent way.

She said a government-selected committee handled the process and it was the committee which concluded that the sale of the public TV and an FM radio station be awarded to QBL.